More than 7 million Pinoys needed to 'stand up' vs poverty: GCAP
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/17/2008 4:20 AM
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The Philippines will again join other nations in observing international day of action against poverty by standing up.
“This October 17-19, world leaders will hear directly from their people that they will no longer stand by while 50,000 people die of preventable causes each day,” said Salil Shetty, Director of the Millennium Campaign.
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is a global campaign to remind world leaders of their responsibility to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“World leaders have just re-committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and from this moment on, citizens will be holding them accountable for taking urgent action to deliver on their promises,” said Shetty.
“Stand Up” was first held in 2006 from the initiatives of the UN Millennium Campaign (UNMC) and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP).
A total of 24 million from 87 countries who participated on the first year made it to the Guinness Book of World Record. The Philippines ranked third in the Asia Pacific region with 2.4 million Filipinos participating.
In 2007, a total of 43.7 million people from 127 countries “stood up”, breaking the earlier Guinness record. Close to 33 million “stood up” in Asia, the highest mobilization by a region. Of these, more than seven million were Filipinos.
“For this year’s Stand Up, GCAP hopes to surpass last year’s numbers and make it an even bigger moment for global action on poverty and the MDGs. In the Philippines, it is urgent to bring people together and demand that government take action. We are racing against time,” said Joel Saracho, Philippine coordinator of GCAP.
Saracho said financing gaps are among the biggest hurdles, and meeting the MDGs and the prospects for bridging the gaps are not bright considering how serious the problem of corruption is.
Last August, GCAP-Philippines launched its 50-50 Campaign to solicit personal commitments to end poverty. The signature campaign is gaining momentum especially among the youth. Sign up centers are being set up in various campuses, from Metro Manila and Cavite to Cagayan de Oro.
“We would have wanted more local celebrities to sign up, speak out and take action. But there was not much time to go around explaining the issue,” Saracho said.
The Philippine coalition was able to link up with ABS-CBN Talent Center which lent its stable of stars including Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz, Diether Ocampo and talent center boss chief Johnny Manahan for an anti-poverty television ad two years ago.
The campaign has earned the support of local celebrities who are joining their international counterpart in calling attention to the anti-poverty advocacy.
Among those who endorsed the Philippine campaign are actresses Mylene Dizon and Eugene Domingo, film director Jim Libiran, poet-spoken word artist Lourd De Veyra, songwriter Vince de Jesus, TV directors Andoy Ranay and Rico Gutierrez, comedian Earl Ignacio and Jojit Lorenzo, and writers Aida Santos and Celina Cristobal.
